Read the latest news about research conducted by investigators in the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences. Our faculty and students are continually advancing technology, creating solutions and expanding knowledge with new and innovative research.
News
$1.5 million grant awarded to team studying impacts of land abandonment
Two Penn State researchers received a $1.5 million grant from the National Science Foundation through the Belmont Forum to study actual and perceived impacts of land abandonment on the sustainability of soil and water resources.
Fighting fire with fire: Study gauges public perception of prescribed burns
A new study may fill in gaps in understanding public perception toward prescribed burns in the U.S. Mid-Atlantic, where these fires are increasingly used, according to scientists.
Traces of ancient ocean discovered on Mars
A recently released set of topography maps provides new evidence for an ancient northern ocean on Mars.
NSF CAREER Award to study impact of petrochemical plant in western Pa.
Jenn Baka, associate professor of geography at Penn State, received a National Science Foundation Faculty Early Career Development Program (CAREER) Award to examine a new cracker plant’s impact on humans’ relationship to the environment and environmental policymaking.
Electric discharges on leaves during thunderstorms may impact nearby air quality
When thunderstorms rumble overhead, weak electrical discharges — called corona — can occur on tree leaves. A new study found coronas create large amounts of atmospheric chemicals that could impact air quality around forests, according to a team of Penn State scientists.
DOE-funded project investigates climate change effects on low-income housing
Coastal cities such as Baltimore expect to see increased impacts of climate change, such as severe flooding, heat stress and increased energy consumption, particularly in low-income communities.
Computer games may be a key to ecological learning, study says
Computer games are an effective way to teach ecological issues and build pro-environment policy support, according to published research by an interdisciplinary group of Penn State scholars.
Saltier sea water may predict heavy summer rains in the U.S. corn belt
Farmers in the Midwest should care about the saltiness of ocean water thousands of miles from their fields, according to a team of scientists.
Corning honored as Penn State’s Corporate Partner of the Year
Penn State has named Corning Inc., one of the world's leading innovators in materials science, as its 2022 Corporate Partner of the Year.
Lack of naloxone led to increased overdose deaths in rural Pa., study finds
Pennsylvania has one of the highest rates of opioid overdose in the nation, and, according to Penn State researchers, one’s chances of surviving that overdose can depend on where the person lives.